Dickey opens up on contract talks  —  R.A. Dickey was at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center on Sunday as the baseball industry gathered for its annual winter meetings.  —  No, he wasn't here to sign a contract extension with the New York Mets.

Grand ole winter meetings preview  —  Who's on the move?  Who's going to sign where — and for how much?  —  I got quite the cheery email the other day from the always-ecstatic folks at Opryland, the sprawling hotel/resort/winter wonderland that will host this year's baseball winter meetings.

Chavez plans to play in 2013  —  Free agent Eric Chavez, who provided terrific bench work for the Yankees the past two seasons, is indeed planning to play in 2013, according to his agent, Scott Leventhal.  —  “Chavy has no intention of retiring,” Leventhal said.

Source: Geovany Soto, Rangers agree  —  NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Texas Rangers and catcher Geovany Soto have agreed to terms on a one-year contract for 2013 pending a physical.  The source said that physical should take place in the next few days.  —  Soto, 29, batted .196 with five homers …

No long-term relationships for Sox  —  Red Sox unlikely to repeat past mistakes  —  It took a quarter-billion dollar salary dump, the likes of which Larry Lucchino had not seen in more than three decades as a major league executive, to give the Red Sox [team stats] a chance at the do-over they so badly needed.

Mariners Interested In Garrett Jones  —  The Mariners have talked with the Pirates about first baseman/right fielder Garrett Jones in recent weeks, according to Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times.  Baker stresses that it was just one of the many conversations the M's have had with clubs …

Rays Close To Signing James Loney  —  The Rays appear close to signing free agent first baseman James Loney, according to Tim Brown of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter).  It would be a one-year deal for Loney, according to Jim Bowden of ESPN.com (via Twitter).  —  Loney, a client of CAA Sports …

The rise and fall of Lenny Dykstra  —  The members of the 1986 world champion Mets walked somberly through the doors of the Christ Fellowship Church in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., one sunny day last February.  Darryl Strawberry, Mookie Wilson, Howard Johnson and Wally Backman …

Hamilton market continues to be the mystery of the winter; O's “probably” out  —  NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The mysterious Josh Hamilton market gets a little murkier and a little more mysterious by the day.  Orioles general manager Dan Duquette as much as admitted they were “probably not” …

Seven teams have shown interest in Mike Pelfrey  —  In a post to Twitter, Jon Heyman of CBS Sports says “no less than seven teams have interest in Mike Pelfrey.”  —  The Mets non-tendered Pelfrey on Friday.  —  While Terry Collins said at the end of the year he could see Pelfrey …

Dodgers not expected to pursue closer Brian Wilson  —  Brian Wilson throws to the Cleveland Indians during a spring training game.  (Marcio Jose Sanchez / Associated Press / March 14, 2012)  —  Brian Wilson might want to pitch for the Dodgers, but it appears the interest isn't mutual.

Brewers Acquire Burke Badenhop  —  The Brewers have acquired right-hander Burke Badenhop from the Rays for Raul Mondesi Jr., the team announced.  Milwaukee has made finding bullpen help a priority this offseason.  —  Badenhop, 29, pitched to a 3.03 ERA with 6.1 K/9 and 1.7 BB/9 in 62 1/3 innings for the Rays this season.